Brett Garsed Discussion

n_mountain · Joined: 29 Sep 2005 Posts: 34 Location: Germany

Hi everybody,

I'm curious.
Do you guys have any special problems on stage compared to when for example practising.

What I'm talking about is that some techniques get really hard to pull off in a live situation while others remain fairly easy.
In my case it's alternate picking.
There are licks I can play at rehearsal without any problems (and I'm not talking monster-32nd-triplet-shred-licks) and as I get on stage my picking hand coordination gets totally knocked out by my nervousness and I have to cheat myself through those licks.
Funnily enough I don't have this problem with the legato stuff.

Anybody experienced anything similar?
And what do you do against it? (Except the obvious practice, practice, practice Smile

)
Stephan

Night0wl · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 159 Location: NSW, Australia

Personally I think it is all in the mind.

I am not a great player by any means but I do have the same problem. I do a song called "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" (transcribed for guitar) and when I practice it at home I can play it all day without a mistake but as soon as I try it at a gig, I get nervous and I stuff it up! Especially if there is another good muso in the room! Then some nights where I am feeling good and feeding off an audience I don't get anxious or nervous and I play it just like at practice!

The only advice I can think of is to try being in a relaxed, carefree and confident frame of mind before and during the performance and hopefully your fingers will follow! Smile

(easier said than done though, I still have problems! Laughing

)

Good Luck!

Shane
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NightOwl Music & Entertainment

gill · Joined: 12 Oct 2005 Posts: 12

every body at one time or another has had the right arm to go south. i always do warmups for an hour and play things that are easy and work up to the hard things. always eat some thing before you play out or record. the problem is you don't want to make mistakes and you know its coming. whats even worse is being in the middle of a tune and having a brain fart. holdsworth talks about that in a publication. he had to stop the tune cause he couldn't remember it. its a big club. relax and have fun with the music and remember most of the people out there can't do what you do, and the players out there have screwed up on stage at one time or another . the real musicians in my opinion cheer you on and know what its like to stand there and give there all... take care gill

bretto212 · Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 266

n_mountain · Joined: 29 Sep 2005 Posts: 34 Location: Germany

hey,

thanks for the replies. Very Happy

madeh · Joined: 29 Oct 2005 Posts: 34 Location: Brisbane, Australia

yingyang · Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 55 Location: Norman, OK

I am going to have to with Gill on the point of warming up prior to playing. After we do soundcheck I immediately start doing exercises for at least 30-45 min. That usually relaxes me tremendously. We haved played at least 2 times a week for the last 10 yrs, so the nervousness is a thing of the past with me. If you do get nervous, I have found that focusing on other members of the band will make it go away. It always made me feel that I was not alone up there. Anyhoo, warming up is a great way to start the night.

As far as forgetting parts, I have had songs pop up on the setlist and for the life of me I could not remember a single chord, etc.. It is amazing that most of time it comes to me at the last second. Very scary sometimes.

Good luck with your playing!!!!!

Mr.A · Joined: 04 Apr 2006 Posts: 8 Location: Confidential

When composing, I always leave room for on the spot improvisations in case I get flustered on stage and start forgetting.

30 years in service with a good share of espionage, assasinationss, fighting hardcore criminals, gang wars, and I still get scared on stage Sad